The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-02
THE ESCAPE OF M'GARIGLE
Captain Freer Felt Sure the Convicted
Man Was Sorry for What He Had Done,
And Extended All Possible Aid in Defeating
Justice-MGarigle's Arrest Ordered-St.
John Arrested and Placed Under Bond.


when the tug Orient approached the schooner
Blake, which was last in the tow Of four vessels,
the schooner Marsh, next ahead dropped the
tow line and the Blake dropped rapidly astern
Her captain rushed forward, together with his
crew, and raised a tremendous row for a couple
of minutes, keeping the attention of those on
board the tug. Meanwhile McGariele, who had
been transferred to the Marsh in the straits, as
reported some days ago, was bundled into a
Rawi and being pulled ashore When the officers
Dn the tug discovered the ruse every effort was
made to catch the yawl, but it got into shoal
water safely before they could reach it. Nc
Carlyle jumped ashore and ran rapidly up the
street. while the crews of the schooner jeered at
the men on the tug. A reporter for Chicago
paper then went aboard the schooner Marsh.
whose captain, Freer, told the following story:
while we were loading cargo of cedar in
the straits a tug came alongside and wanted to
know if had seen anything of the Blake
said had not, and he then told me that they
were detectives and that they believed that
McGarigle was aboard of the Blake. Well, live
in Chicago. and of course know McGarigle by
reputation, although l had never seen him but
once. told the men that he would probably
come along in day or two, and then extended
them the hospitality of my vessel. The entire
crew came aboard. went down into the cabin and
] opened bottle of my choicest cherry brandy.
While they were drinking 1 slipped on deck for
q minute and saw the Blake coming along down
the straits before fine breeze of wind. Well,
don't believe in harboring criminals or anything
of that kind, but the impulse of the moment,
] thought that there fellow being, with a
wife and several children, who was sorry for
what wrong he had done and trying to keep
out Of the penitentiary. 1 hardly know what
made me do it, but slipped back into the cabin,
and, without saying nything about the approach
ing vessel. got out some more bottles. The de-
tectives relished the stuff and they had rol;ck-
ing, jolly time of it. When they came on deck
Il don't believe any one of them could have told
fishing smack from steamboat. But by this
time the Blake was out of sight Well, finished
loading and started down for Buffalo. About 10
o'clock Saturday night / overhauled the Blake
on Lake Huron. and told them that officers were
laying for her. A few minutes later the Blake
beaded into me and stove in the starboard quar-
ter of my vessel. At the same time
u man jumped aboard and the
vessels drifted apart. 1 recognized him as
McGarigle, and, with tears streaming down his
face, he begged me to put him ashore. told
him would, and did. I never in my life saw
such pathetic suffering as stamped on mis-
face. When your tug came alongside he was in
che cabin shaking like man with the palsy. He
thought the tug h ad been sent out to capture
him, but if it had been don't think ne would
have been taken alive Not that he would have
shown any resistance. but am pretty he
would have jumped overheard and drowned him
self before he would have gone back to prison.
When lowered the boat and told him we were
ready he seemed paralvzed and could hardly
move. Jumped down into the cabin and helped
bin on deck, AMI steadied him until he got into
the boat"
While Captain Freer was telling this story the
tow had rounded to, and when this point
reached was picking up the Blake, which had
come down the river under sail She
alongside of the Marsh, the reporter jumped
aboard of her. and asked Captain Irwin to give
some account of how he came to enter the con-
spiracy to run McGarigle into Canada. He was
very reticent, and at first refused to say word
about it. After good deal of coaxing he said:
when got to Chicago friend of mine came
to me that night and ked me if would take
passenger to Canada, landing him at the first con-
venient point. After some hesitation my part,
and much urging on his, consented providing
that he would not tell me anything about the
party. / suspected from the way he talked
that his friend was in trouble, and did not
want to know anything that might get me in
TO scrape Well. was to let him know when
j would be ready to sail. and Saturday afternoon
I met him in a buggy on Fifth avenue. We
drove around, and arranged with him to have
his friend meet me that night at
the cigar store, at the corner of
Rush and Michigan streets. also told
him when the vessel would be ready, and
said would drop down the river and lie at the
north pier until the party, who was to be known
as Williams, showed up at the appointed place.
] cleared at the barge Office at o'clock and
then went over to the cigar store. little after
10 o'clock man, whom l recognized by the de-
ecription given me. came 10. asked him if his
name was Williams. He nodded his head, and
we went down to the vessel together. Then
towed ont and got along all right, only the wind
has been tantalizing during almost the entire
voyage"
Captain Irwin confirmed the story of the
master off the schooner HigGie to meeting the
Blake of Manistee. He would make no definite
admission regarding the person who arranged
for McGarigles passage In nearly all of bis
conversation he spoke gusrdedly. but he let
out enough to strengthen she suspicion that Drs
St John and Dell knew more about the escape
than anyone else In Chicago.
The reporter then went back to Sarnla, and
after considerable search found McGarIge, who
appeared terribly changed His features are
haegard and sallow and his eyes have hunted
expression. II am worn out with worry aud
excitement. he said, land it would be simply
torture for me to comply to the extent you de-
sire. am sick and need rest so badly that
must ask you TO wait until to morrow. Say for
me. however, that will be back to Chicago in
less than three months. and when come l will
not be bounded rascaly thief. This inves-
tigation that is now being held will develop my
innocence of any corrupt act and will con vince
the people of Chicago that spite of all the
'squeang that is being made IN court, l am
not i'm plicated in any crooked transactions
The worst that can be said of me is that l had
money given to me by contractors to give the
county commissioners. Not cent OF it
stuck TO nv fingers. I poor man to-day"
McGarigle said he planned the escnpe him
self and regrets that he was obliged TO impose
on the generosity of Sheriff Matson in the way
he did IF l staid in jail said he lit was alb
solutely certain that would have a spell of
typhoid fever. My system could not stand
that, and 1t became imperative for me to get out.
An opportunity for escape presented itself. and
embraced it,"
special to the Evening Journal from Sarnia,
Ont, says: "AIcGarige secluded all the
morning, but just where could not be ascer-
tanned. He was met on arrival by a party with
carriages. one of the party being Patrick Ma
loney, OF Chicago, formerly of Port Huron,
Mich. Everything had evidently been arranged
for Nc Farigles reception, and one of tho party
remarked that the entire plan of rescue was
mapped out before the escape attempted.
Had any attempt been made to seize McGariele
a desperate fight one of the sooner Marsh's
crew saws, would have been the result. The re-